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Deerfield Beach, Florida · checked Oct. 20, 2026

Sea turtles at Deerfield Beach

The short answer

Three sea turtle species nest on Deerfield Beach, Florida, the City says: loggerhead, leatherback and green. Nesting season officially starts on March 1 on Florida's southeast coast, and FWC says it ends on October 31. Nests are marked with orange tape and small wooden posts. The International Fishing Pier keeps a Turtle Retriever Net in its bait house for anglers who hook a turtle.

Last checked October 20, 2026

A tangle of lost fishing line and tackle caught on a concrete pile cap under the edge of the Deerfield Beach pier, above the water.
Photo: Juliancolton, Public domain

Sea turtles nest on the sand on both sides of the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier. This page draws on the City of Deerfield Beach’s Sea Turtles and Beach Nourishment pages and on FWC’s lighting guidance, all read on Oct. 20, 2026. That is eleven days before FWC’s end of the 2026 season.

Which turtles nest here

The City names three species that nest on Deerfield Beach: the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas).

When nesting season runs

The City says nesting seasons “vary slightly depending on the species, but range from early March through the end of October.” Its Beach Nourishment page is more exact about the start: on the southeast coast of Florida, the season “officially begins on March 1 due to the early season leatherback sea turtles.” FWC gives the end date, advising that decorative lights stay off “until after sea turtle nesting season ends, October 31.”

SeasonStartsEndsSource
2026March 1, 2026October 31, 2026City and FWC
2027March 1, 2027October 31, 2027Same rule, same sources

Why two start dates appear

The City’s Sea Turtles page says “early March”, and its Beach Nourishment page says the season “officially begins on March 1”. Both point to the same start, and we use March 1 because it is the official date the City names. The October 31 end comes from FWC and matches the City’s “end of October”. The City notes the timing varies slightly by species, which is why it gives a range rather than one date for every turtle.

How to spot a nest

The City says nests are typically marked with orange tape and small wood posts in a triangle. A volunteer goes out each morning to find and mark new nests, working with Broward County and Nova Southeastern University. If you see a marked nest, give it room and leave the tape and posts where they are.

Two beach rules matter here. The City’s beach rules say do not feed wildlife, and the Beach page says dogs are prohibited on the beach. The full rules are on our main beach page.

Lights and turtles

To make beach lighting turtle-friendly, the City installed new bollards “that had amber-colored LEDs, shielding on three sides, and are directed downwards.” FWC’s guidance for property owners is that decorative lights should not be turned back on until the season ends on October 31. FWC sets the state’s sea turtle lighting guidance; read it on FWC’s Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting page. For owners of beachfront homes, our living in Deerfield Beach page covers the same rules.

  • To make beach lighting turtle-friendly, the city installed new bollards "that had amber-colored LEDs, shielding on three sides, and are directed downwards." A volunteer is dispatched each morning to locate and mark new nests, working with Broward County and Nova Southeastern University. City of Deerfield Beach: Sea Turtles

Turtles and the pier

The City’s Sea Turtles page says it takes part in a Responsible Pier Initiative “by stationing a Turtle Retriever Net in the bait house at the Pier” to help anglers who hook a sea turtle. The bait shop is at the pier entrance, and the pier’s phone is 954-250-4167. Fishing rules and fees are on our fishing page.

From Oct. 20, 2026 the City says the pier is closed sunset through sunrise until further notice, for maintenance. Check our hours and fees page before you go.

Sand work waits for the turtles

Nesting season shapes work on the beach too. The 2023 joint beach nourishment by the City of Deerfield Beach and the Town of Hillsboro Beach was to place about 233,000 cubic yards of sand on the southern beach, and it had to be substantially complete by May 1 because of turtle nesting.

  • The 2023 joint beach nourishment by the City of Deerfield Beach and the Town of Hillsboro Beach was to place approximately 233,000 cubic yards of sand on the southern beach, dredged from the Boca Raton Inlet ebb shoal. Nourishment must be substantially complete by May 1 because of turtle nesting. City of Deerfield Beach: Beach Nourishment

Check a date

The checker below shows whether a date falls in nesting season, alongside the pier hours and programs for that day.

Decision tool · can I go?

Can I go to the pier on this date?

Pick a date. We check it against every schedule the City and the other operators publish: the pier's hours and its night-closure notice, fees, rod rentals, pier-lot parking rates, lifeguards, nesting and hurricane season, Pioneer Days closures and Hillsboro Lighthouse tour days.

The published schedules this checker uses

Worked out from schedules checked October 20, 2026: the City of Deerfield Beach's pier, parking, Ocean Rescue, Beach, Sea Turtles, Pioneer Days and Ocean Way Holiday pages, FWC, NOAA's hurricane season dates and the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society's tour list. Where the City's own pages disagree, the checker says so.

Thinking about mornings like this every week? See what living in Deerfield Beach is like.

Living in Deerfield Beach

Mar1Mon

Sea turtle nesting season 2027

Organiser date for 2027
  • Mar 1 – Oct 31
  • March 1 to October 31
  • Deerfield Beach and Broward County beaches

Loggerhead, leatherback and green turtles nest on Deerfield Beach. Nests are marked with orange tape and wooden stakes; leave them alone, keep lights off the beach, and fill in holes. The pier keeps a turtle retriever net in the bait house for hooked turtles.

Start March 1 per the city (Beach Nourishment page); end October 31 per FWC. Broward County's own sea turtle page could not be fetched (redirect/403).

Add to calendar: Google Apple / Outlook (.ics)

Source: City of Deerfield Beach: Beach Nourishment; FWC Sea Turtle Lighting, checked 2026-10-20

What we could not source

Broward County’s sea turtle page could not be read when we checked, so this page relies on the City and FWC. None of the pages we read publish nest counts for Deerfield Beach or list a public turtle walk here, so we do not give either.

What happens if I hook a sea turtle?

The city takes part in the Responsible Pier Initiative and keeps a turtle retriever net in the bait house at the pier. Alert the bait shop staff, and they can help bring the turtle safely to shore for the proper authorities.

Source: City of Deerfield Beach: Sea Turtles

When is sea turtle nesting season in Deerfield Beach?

March 1 to October 31. The city says the season "officially begins on March 1", and FWC says it ends October 31. Loggerhead, leatherback and green turtles nest on Deerfield Beach. Nests are marked with orange tape and wooden stakes, so leave them alone.

Source: City of Deerfield Beach: Beach Nourishment; FWC: Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Deerfield Beach: International Fishing Pier (operator)

Living here

Like a morning on the pier? See what living near it looks like.

LPE Realty LLC, a licensed Florida real estate brokerage serving South Florida, is behind this guide. If a day at Deerfield Beach has you thinking about a home near the water, talk to us about buying or selling here.

Visit LPE Realty LLC Call LPE Realty LLC (561) 652-6917

What is it like to live in Deerfield Beach? · Thinking of selling a home near the pier?